Structure and process for overturned thin film device with self-aligned gate and s/d contacts

ABSTRACT

Processes and overturned thin film device structures generally include a metal gate having a concave shape defined by three faces. The processes generally include forming the overturned thin film device structures such that the channel self-aligns to the metal gate and the contacts can be self-aligned to the sacrificial material.

DOMESTIC PRIORITY

The present application is a DIVISIONAL of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/259,516, filed Sep. 8, 2016; published as US 20170162711 A1 on Jun. 8, 2017; which is a DIVISIONAL of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/956,815 filed on Dec. 2, 2015 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,496,415 B1 on Nov. 15, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to metal oxide thin film devices, and more particularly, to the structure and formation of an overturned thin film device with self-aligned gate and source/drain contacts.

In the semiconductor industry and especially thin film semiconductor devices such as thin film transistors (TFTs), the devices include spaced apart source and drain areas that conduct through a channel layer positioned therebetween. At least one gate insulator and gate electrode are positioned above and/or below the channel layer, to control the conduction.

SUMMARY

The present invention is generally directed to thin film device structures and methods of fabricating a transistor device. In one embodiment, the thin film device structure comprises a metal gate structure having a concave shape defined by three faces; and a channel comprising an amorphous metal oxide material overlaying and self-aligned to the metal gate structure.

A method of fabricating a transistor device comprises forming a light transparent insulating layer on a substrate; selectively etching an opening in the light transparent insulating layer to the substrate, wherein the opening is defined by a bottom surface and sidewalls extending from the bottom surface to an upper surface of the light transparent insulating layer; conformally depositing a metal liner layer onto the substrate including the sidewalls and the bottom surface defined by the opening; partially depositing a metal conductive layer onto the substrate; and chemically mechanically polishing or anisotropically etching the substrate and layers thereon, wherein the light transparent insulator layer provides a stop and defines a gate structure in the opening comprising the metal liner layer and the conductive material, wherein the gate structure has a concave shape defined by three faces.

In one embodiment, the method may further include conformally depositing a gate insulating layer over the substrate and layers thereon; conformally depositing an amorphous metal oxide layer over the substrate and layers thereon; depositing and reflowing a sacrificial insulator layer to form a planar surface over the substrate and layers thereon; pattern etching the amorphous metal oxide layer and sacrificial insulator layer, wherein the patterned amorphous metal oxide layer defines a channel; etching the sacrificial insulating layer to expose end portions of the channel and define a self-aligned step width (t); conformally depositing a conductive metal layer and forming source/drain regions on the exposed end portions of the channel by removing the conductive metal layer overlaying the sacrificial insulator layer, thereby effecting gate-aligned source and drain regions; and removing the sacrificial layer.

In another embodiment, the method includes selectively etching the opening in the light transparent insulating layer to the substrate comprises a dual damascene process, wherein the opening is defined by a trench and a via, wherein subsequent to chemically mechanically polishing or anisotropically etching the substrate and layers thereon to the light transparent insulator layer, further comprising a metal recess etching step to stop on the light transparent insulating layer to define a self-aligned step width (t) for the channel.

In another embodiment, the method includes forming a gate structure having a concave shape defined by three faces by a dual damascene process; conformally depositing a gate insulating layer overlying the gate structure; depositing an amorphous metal oxide layer overlying the gate insulating layer; depositing a sacrificial insulator layer onto the amorphous metal oxide layer; chemically mechanically polishing the sacrificial insulator layer to stop on the amorphous metal oxide layer, wherein a remaining portion of the sacrificial insulator layer overlays the gate structure; selectively etching the amorphous metal oxide layer to define a channel and expose end portions of the channel to define a self-aligned step width (t); selectively etching to remove a portion of the gate insulator layer and define a contact step height (h) for the exposed end portions of the channel; conformally depositing a conductive metal layer and forming source/drain regions on the exposed end portions including the self-aligned step width (t) and contact step height (h) of the channel by removing the conductive metal layer overlaying the sacrificial insulator layer, thereby effecting gate-aligned source and drain regions; and removing the sacrificial insulator layer.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A-1N depicts schematic cross-sectional views illustrating a sequential process for fabricating an overturned thin film with self-aligned gate and source/drain contacts according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2O depicts schematic cross-sectional views illustrating a sequential process for fabricating an overturned thin film with self-aligned gate and source/drain contacts according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 depicts a schematic cross sectional view of a thin film device structure including a metal gate having a concave shape with three faces in accordance with another embodiment.

The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides an overturned thin film structure and process for fabricating the same with self-aligned gate and source/drain contacts according to an embodiment of the present invention. As will be discussed herein, the process and resulting structure self-aligns the channel to the gate.

There is a strong interest in amorphous metal oxide semiconductor as potential replacements for the organic and silicon materials in thin-film electronics because of its high carrier mobility, light transparency and low deposition temperature. The high carrier mobility in the amorphous state expands applications to higher performance domains that require higher frequency or higher current, e.g., active-matrix electronics, including displays, sensor arrays and X-ray detectors. The light transparency eliminates the need for a light shield in display and sensor active matrices. The low deposition temperature enables application to flexible electronics on plastic substrates. Moreover, their solution processability and optical transparency have opened new horizons for low-cost printable and transparent electronics on plastic substrates. But metal-oxide formation by the sol-gel route typically requires an annealing step at relatively high temperature, which has prevented the incorporation of these materials with the polymer substrates used in high-performance flexible electronics.

More recently, a general method has been reported for forming high-performance and operationally stable metal-oxide semiconductors at room temperature, by deep-ultraviolet photochemical activation of sol-gel films. Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) irradiation induces efficient condensation and densification of oxide semiconducting films by photochemical activation at low temperature. This photochemical activation is applicable to numerous metal-oxide semiconductors, and the performance (in terms of transistor mobility and operational stability) of thin-film transistors fabricated by this route compares favorably with that of thin-film transistors based on thermally annealed materials. The field-effect mobilities of the photo-activated metal-oxide semiconductors are as high as 14 and 7 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ (with an Al₂O₃ gate insulator) on glass and polymer substrates, respectively.

The unique features of metal oxide semiconductors are: (1) carrier mobility is less dependent on grain size of films, that is, high mobility amorphous metal oxide is possible; (2) density of surface states is low and enables easy field effect for TFTs, this is contrary to covalent semiconductors (such as Si or a-Si) where surface states have to be passivated by hydrogen; and (3) mobility strongly depends on the volume carrier density. In order to achieve high mobility for high performance applications, the volume carrier density of the metal oxide channel should be high and thickness of the metal oxide film should be small (e.g. <100 nm and preferably <50 nm).

However, a major deficiency of metal oxide semiconductors is stability and the tendency to become polycrystalline at higher process temperatures. Popular metal oxides, such as zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, and indium gallium zinc oxide, are not very stable and become polycrystalline at moderate process temperatures (e.g. greater than approximately 400° C.) Polycrystalline semiconductor metal oxides are not desirable in semiconductor devices for several reasons. For example, the characteristics of transistors formed in polycrystalline semiconductor metal oxides can vary, even between adjacent devices in an array, because of the variation in crystal size and position. To better understand this problem, in a conduction area under a sub-micron gate each different transistor can include from one or two poly-silicon crystalline grains to several crystalline grains and the different number of crystals in the conduction area will produce different characteristics. The dimensions and their physical characteristics among different grains are also different.

The stability of metal oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) depends strongly on processing temperatures. At high temperatures, the traps in the bulk semiconductor layer and at the interface or interfaces between the gate insulator and the semiconductor layer can be reduced. For applications, such as active matrix organic light emitting devices (AMOLED), extreme stability is required. It is advantageous to take the metal oxide TFTs to high temperatures, generally between 250° C. and 700° C., during processing. Meanwhile it is desirable to maintain the amorphous nature of the metal oxide at these processing temperatures.

But metal-oxide formation by the sol-gel route requires an annealing step at relatively high temperature, which has prevented the incorporation of these materials with the polymer substrates used in high-performance flexible electronics.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, a light transparent insulator layer 12 is first deposited onto a light transparent substrate 10. Typical materials for the substrate 10 include glass, plastic film, and the like. The substrate 10 can be in rigid, conformable, or flexible forms. Fabrication on a thin flexible plastic substrate generally requires all process temperatures to be below its glass temperature, Tg (above which permanent deformation occurs so that pattern alignment among different layers becomes impractical). The light transparent insulator 12 is not intended to be limited and is generally a material transparent to the radiation wavelengths transmitted for the intended display.

In FIG. 1B, a gate etch of the light transparent insulator 12 is performed using conventional photolithographic techniques to form an opening 13 for the gate structure.

In FIG. 1C, a relatively thin layer of a conformal metal liner 18 is then deposited over the underlying topography. The metal liner layer 18 is not intended to be limited and may be a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Jr), cobalt (Co) and nitrides thereof. An optional adhesion layer, not specifically shown, can be used to enhance the bonding of the metal liner layer 18 to the light transparent insulator 12.

The presence of the metal liner layer 18 on the sidewalls is desirable because structural delamination and conductor metal diffusion can occur unless there is a layer of protection, i.e., a liner layer, between the conductive layer and the etched insulating layer. For structural integrity, the metal liner layer 18 should line the entire side wall and will generally cover the etched bottom surface as well. The metal liner layer 18 can be at a thickness less than 10 nm to greater than 1 nm in most embodiments, and less than 5 nm to 1 nm in other embodiments, and about 3 nm in still other embodiments.

In FIG. 1D, a conductive metal layer 20 is partially deposited onto the metal liner layer 18. The conductive metal material may be selected from the group consisting of nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron, (Fe), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), tungsten (W), and combinations thereof. The conductive metal material is deposited at a thickness of about 0.1 nanometer (nm) to about 100 nm so as to partially fill the trenches and vias. In one embodiment, the conductive metal material 20 is deposited at a thickness of about 80 nm.

The metal liner and conductive metal materials may be deposited by sputtering, CVD, electroless deposition and/or electrodeposition. Rf bias sputtering, in general, is known in the art and involves the reemission of material during the sputter deposition thereof through the effects of attendant ion bombardment of the layer being deposited. In effect, Rf biased sputtering is the positive ion bombardment of a substrate or film during its deposition. Therefore, during Rf bias sputtering, there is always simultaneous etching and deposition of the material being deposited. Previously deposited layers are not etched as part of a standard Rf biased sputter deposition.

In FIG. 1E, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) or anisotropic etch procedure is performed and configured to stop at the light transparent insulator layer 12 so as to remove the portion of the metal liner and the conductive metal overlying the uppermost surface of the light transparent insulator. As will be described in greater detail below, the resulting gate 22 of the overturned thin film device provides a three face design (unlike the single face of the prior art), which provides high on-current performance and provides increased latitude for gate length shrink for LED resolution improvement.

In FIG. 1F, a conformal gate insulating layer 24 of an insulating material well known in the art for use in semiconductor device manufacture is deposited onto the gate using atomic layer deposition (ALD). For example, the gate insulating layer 24 may be formed of hafnium oxide (HfO₂), which has a higher dielectric constant relative to silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) or a combination thereof. By way of example, the thickness of the gate insulating layer 24 can be about 35 nm.

In FIG. 1G, a metal oxide channel layer 26 is conformally deposited onto the gate insulating layer 24. In one embodiment, the met oxide channel layer 26 is an amorphous metal oxide including, but not limited to, indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO,) and indium oxide (In₂O₃) for high mobility performance. The amorphous metal oxide may be deposited in any well-known manner and can be photo- or thermally annealed. For low temperature processing such as may be desired for fabrication using flexible polymeric (plastic) substrates, photo annealing can be readily utilized to fabricate the metal oxide channel layer.

Referring now to Tables 1 and 2, there is shown precursor concentrations suitable for fabricating the particular amorphous metal oxide and the resulting mobility performance as a function of time and photo-exposure (DUV) or annealing temperature in the case of a thermal anneal process, respectively. The solvent for the different precursors was 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME).

TABLE 1 Precursor Concentration (M) Indium Gallium Zinc Channel Nitrate Nitrate Acetate Zinc Tin Material Hydrate Hydrate Dihydrate Chloride Chloride Solvent IGZO 0.085 0.0125 0.0275 — — 2-ME IZO 0.05 — 0.05 — — 2-ME In₂O₃ 0.10 — — — — 2-ME IZTO 0.03 — — 0.12 0.12 2-ME

TABLE 2 Annealing Average Time Mobility Channel Annealing Method (min) (cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹) IGZO Photo Annealing 30 0.7 60 1.9 90 1.6 120 2.3 IZO Photo Annealing 30 0.1 60 0.1 90 1.2 120 0.4 In₂O₃ Photo Annealing 30 1.9 60 2.8 90 3.5 120 3.6 ZTO Thermal Annealing 10 4.5 (600° C.) Photo Annealing 90 Inactive IZTO Thermal Annealing @ 10 1.5 (500° C.) Photo Annealing 90 Inactive

As shown in Table 2, high mobility was observed upon photo annealing via a condensation mechanism using a low pressure mercury light lamp.

In FIG. 1H, a sacrificial dielectric insulator layer 28 is deposited and reflowed onto the metal oxide channel layer 26.

In FIG. 1I, the metal oxide channel layer 26 and sacrificial dielectric insulator layer 28 are pattern etched and configured to stop at the gate insulator layer 24.

In FIG. 1J, a selective reactive ion etch or wet etch of the sacrificial dielectric insulator layer 28 is performed to define a self-aligned step width (t). The parasitic capacitances resulting from the overlap of source/drain electrodes with the gate can be minimized through the step width (t) with self-alignment. Advantageously, the source/drain regions can be defined without requiring an extra hard mask step as is typically done in the prior art, and consequently, significantly reduces manufacturing costs and throughput.

In FIG. 1K, a layer of conductive metal 30 is deposited, which will subsequently be patterned to form the source and drain regions. For example, each of the source and the drain regions may be formed of a metal, e.g., Ti, Pt, ruthenium (Ru), Au, silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), Al, W, Cu, combinations thereof, or a metal or conductive oxide, e.g., IZO, AZO, or combinations thereof.

In FIG. 1L, a sacrificial insulator layer 32 is reflowed over the topography to form a planar top surface.

In FIG. 1M, a CMP or etch back procedure is performed to remove a portion of the sacrificial layer 32 and the portion of the source/drain metal layer 30 that had previously been deposited directly above the gate structure 22 and metal oxide channel 26.

In FIG. 1N, the remaining sacrificial insulator layer 32 is then removed so as to provide a high performance flexible thin film transistor structure 40, which can include an amorphous metal oxide channel material for high mobility performance. Additionally, the TFT includes step width control (t) to minimize the overlap of electrodes and reduce the parasitic capacitances for high efficient light emitting diode (LED) performance. Still, further, the device as shown includes a three face gate metal design for high on-current performance and provides margins for gate length shrink as is desired for LED resolution improvement.

In another embodiment, after the light transparent insulating layer 52 has been deposited onto a suitable substrate 50 (similar to substrate 10 above), a gate dual damascene etch is performed as shown in FIG. 2A, wherein a trench 54 and a via 56 are formed in the light transparent insulating layer 52.

In FIG. 2B, a relatively thin layer of a conformal metal liner 58 is then deposited over the topography. The metal liner layer 58 is not intended to be limited and may be a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Jr) and nitrides thereof. An optional adhesion layer, not specifically shown, can be used to enhance the bonding of the metal liner layer 58 to the dielectric layer.

For reasons discussed above, the presence of the metal liner layer 58 on the sidewalls of the via is desirable because structural delamination and conductor metal diffusion can occur unless there is a layer of protection, a liner layer, between the conductive layer and the etched insulating layer. For structural integrity, the metal liner layer 58 should line the entire side wall and will generally cover the bottom of the via as well. The metal liner layer can be at a thickness less than 10 nm to greater than 1 nm in most embodiments, and less than 5 nm to 1 nm in other embodiments, and about 3 nm in still other embodiments.

In FIG. 2C, a conductive metal layer 60 is partially deposited onto the metal liner layer 58. The conductive metal material may be selected from the group consisting of nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron, (Fe), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), tungsten (W), and combinations thereof. The conductive metal material is deposited at a thickness of about 0.1 nanometer (nm) to about 100 nm so as to partially fill the trenches and vias. In one embodiment, the conductive metal material 60 is deposited at a thickness of about 80 nm.

The metal liner 58 and conductive metal material 60 may be deposited by sputtering, CVD, electroless deposition and/or electrodeposition. Rf bias sputtering, in general, is known in the art and involves the reemission of material during the sputter deposition thereof through the effects of attendant ion bombardment of the layer being deposited. In effect, Rf biased sputtering is the positive ion bombardment of a substrate or film during its deposition. Therefore, during Rf bias sputtering, there is always simultaneous etching and deposition of the material being deposited. Previously deposited layers are not etched as part of a standard Rf biased sputter deposition.

In FIGS. 2D and 2E, a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) or anisotropic etch procedure is performed and configured to stop at the light transparent insulator layer 52 so as to remove the portion of the metal liner 58 and the conductive metal 60 overlying the uppermost surfaces of the light transparent insulator 52 including the metal recess 61 in the case of a dual damascene structure. As will be described in greater detail below, the resulting gate 62 of the overturned thin film device provides a three face design, which provides high on-current performance and provides increased latitude for gate length shrink for LED resolution improvement.

In FIG. 2F, a conformal gate insulating layer 64 of an insulating material is deposited onto the gate using atomic layer deposition (ALD). For example, the gate insulating layer may be formed of hafnium oxide (HfO₂), which has a higher dielectric constant relative to silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) or a combination thereof. By way of example, the thickness of the gate insulating layer 64 can be about 35 nm.

In FIG. 2G, a metal oxide channel layer 66 is conformally deposited onto the gate insulating layer 64. The metal oxide channel layer 66 may be deposited using conventional techniques. In one embodiment, the channel layer is an amorphous metal oxide including, but not limited to, indium, gallium, zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO, and indium oxide (In₂O₃) for high mobility performance. The amorphous metal oxide can be photo- or thermally annealed as previously described.

In FIGS. 2H-2I, a sacrificial dielectric insulator layer 68 is deposited and reflowed onto the structure followed by CMP of the sacrificial insulator layer configured to stop at the metal oxide channel layer 66 and provide a planar top surface as shown in FIG. 1J.

In FIG. 2J, a selective reactive ion etch is then performed on the metal oxide channel layer 66 configured to stop at the gate insulator layer 64 to define a self-aligned step width (t), which correlates to the width of the exposed metal oxide channel layer 66.

In FIG. 2K, a selective reactive ion etch of the gate insulator layer 64 is performed to remove a defined thickness and form a self-aligned source/drain contact step height (h). Advantageously, the formation of the self-aligned source/drain contact step height (h) defines the source/drain regions contact step height without requiring an extra hard mask step as is typically done in the prior art, and consequently, significantly reduces manufacturing costs and throughput.

In FIG. 2L, a conformal layer of conductive metal 72 is deposited, which will subsequently be patterned to form the source and drain regions. For example, each of the source and the drain regions may be formed of a conductive metal such as, for example, Ti, Pt, ruthenium (Ru), Au, silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), Al, W, Cu, combinations thereof, a conductive metal oxide such as IZO, AZO, or combinations thereof.

In FIG. 2M-N, a sacrificial insulator layer 74 is reflowed over the topography to form a planar top surface followed by a CMP or etch back procedure to remove a portion of the sacrificial layer and the portion of the source/drain metal layer 72 that had previously been deposited above the gate structure 62 and the metal oxide channel 66.

In FIG. 2O, the remaining sacrificial insulator layer 74 is then removed so as to provide a high performance flexible thin film transistor structure 100, which includes an amorphous metal oxide channel material for high mobility performance. Additionally, the TFT includes step width control (t) to minimize the overlap of electrodes and reduce the parasitic capacitances for high efficient light emitting diode (LED) performance. Still, further, the device as shown includes a three face gate metal design for high on current performance and provides margins for gate length shrink as is desired for LED resolution improvement.

Advantageously, the gate metal shape can be changed as may be desired for improved process flexibility and performance requirements. For example, FIG. 3 schematically depicts a cross-sectional view of an overturned thin film device 200 including a gate metal shape 202 in accordance with another embodiment.

All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are combinable with each other.

All cited patents, patent applications, and other references are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described. 

1. A thin film device structure, comprising: a metal gate structure having a concave shape defined by three faces; and a channel comprising an amorphous metal oxide material overlaying and self-aligned to the metal gate structure.
 2. The thin film device of claim 1, further comprising source/drain regions electrically coupled to an end of the channel via a self-aligned width (t).
 3. The thin film device of claim 2, wherein the source/drain regions include a conductive material that comprises nickel (Ni), silver (Ag), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron, (Fe), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pt), tungsten (W), and combinations thereof.
 4. The thin film device of claim 1, wherein the amorphous metal oxide material comprises indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO,) or indium oxide (In₂O₃).
 5. The thin film device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible substrate.
 6. The thin film device of claim 5, further comprising a metal liner disposed between the flexible substrate and the metal gate structure, the metal liner comprises titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Jr), cobalt (Co) and nitrides thereof.
 7. The thin film device of claim 1, further comprising a gate insulating layer disposed above the metal gate structure, the gate insulating layer comprises hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride or a combination thereof. 